21st Century Storytelling:

Differentiating Instruction Using Digital Resources Heather Hurley

Instructional Technology CoordinatorArlington Traditional School (ATS)

Arlington Public Schools

Presentation Adapted, original presentation by Carrie Strasburger

Who are the Natives?

• Are teachers Digital Immigrants or Digital Natives? Why?

Digital Immigrants vs. Natives

• For the most part teachers did not grow up in the “Age of Technology”

• We carry accents: print out our email; write checks to pay bills; use phone book to look up a number

• Teachers, prior to 2000, were in the business of producing students that were readers, producers of products; using curriculums that “guide learning”, goal being, assess students at the end of the school year

21st Century Skills

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What is 21st Century Storytelling

• Digital Storytelling is the modern expression of the ancient art of storytelling. Digital stories derive their power by weaving images, music, narrative and voice together, thereby giving deep dimension and vivid color to characters, situations, experiences, and insights. - Digital Storytelling Association

• A digital story is usually short in time. Only 2 -4 minutes long. It utilizes digital video clips, most often told in first person narrative, recorded with your own voice, illustrated mostly with still images, and with an optional music track to add emotional tone.

• The process of digital storytelling enables students to tell their stories with a compelling and competitive voice. -David Jakes

Curriculum Modification for Gifted

• Using 21st century storytelling tools allows gifted students to demonstrate their exceptionally keen sense of comical, bizarre, absurd behavior in an appropriate setting.

• Gifted students have the extraordinary ability to convey meaning or emotion through words, actions, symbols, sounds and media.

21st Century Storytelling Can…..

• Encourage gifted students to use characteristic skills used for inquiry, imagination, creativity, knowledge, understanding, reasoning and sensitivity.

• Eliminate “cookie cutter projects.”

• Activate learners; discuss complex theories, and develop hyper-text minds for the 21st century.

Technological Reasons for 21st Century Storytelling

• A proven media-mix that has appeal, is efficient and is coherent in using a combination of methods.

• It moves students towards a more social and collaboration framework in which to share ideas.

• It addresses Technology SOL’s

Institutional Reasons for 21st Century Storytelling

• 21st century storytelling is flexible and differentiates learning.

• The learner decides what, where, when, and how they learn. Uniquely suited to users who wish to choose their own time for engagement with content, and Web 2.0 tools permit many styles of mere reading and commentary.

• Lots of free or low cost tools.

Reasons Continued…

• Students can cross-link, trackback, tag and do independent exploration.

• This becomes their own knowledge tree of idea generation.

• Technology is a “native environment” for flexible learning which meets the needs of gifted learners.

Good Bye Product

• Products are not one that can be held in a student’s hand, but is one that can be easily published on-line; rethink the way we communicate; radically change the way learning occurs and yes….

• Will impact the way we should be teaching

• Research shows that 21st century storytelling can help close the “achievement gap”. Barriers in our schools are coming down.

As Easy as 1-2-3!

1. Outline a Story Idea– Storyboards– Inspiration– Kidspiration– bubbl.us

2. Find Some Media– Images– Music– Video– Text

3. Pick a Tool to Build Your Story

Steps from http://cogdogroo.wikispaces.com/50+Ways

21st Century Storytelling Tools

• Blogs• Wikis• Podcasts• Web 2.0 Tools• Streaming Video• Digital Story

Creators• Photo Resources

A Digital Story From A-Z

A Fourth Grade Photo Story

Conclusion: Are We at the Beginning?

• As author Will Richardson says, “We now have a Read/Reflect/Write/Participate Web, one that will continue to evolve and grow in ways not yet thought of, spurred by the efforts of creative teachers who recognize potential to engage students and improve student learning”.

EXTRA! EXTRA! The World is Changing

• The purpose of education is not to fill the mind, but to open it...

Questions…………..?

Heather HurleyInstructional Technology CoordinatorArlington Traditional SchoolVA DEN Leadership Council Blog Coordinator

Email: heather_hurley@apsva.usDirect Phone: 703-228-2061

Blog: http://www.techstoup.edublogs.orgVA DEN Blog: http://blog.discoveryeducation.com/virginia/